Welcome back to school! As we all know, it is far easier to get our students into good habits (and discourage bad habits) if we start the way we intend to go on. How many times have I tried to get my students to "like" me on the first couple of days, and then become frustrated later on in the course when they are constantly yapping in Spanish? (I hope I'm not the only one!) Well, with this new course starting I thought it would be a good idea to write a quick peice on what has worked for me in my classes, and what I've seen work in other teachers' classes!
1. You don't speak or understand any Spanish (except for bad words of course!)
We are hired to be native English speakers, and why would we speak Spanish in class? I have found that some of the most effective teachers are those with no, or very limited knowledge of their students' L1. (Perhaps they suffer more in areas of classroom dicipline for example, but their students tend to learn far more!). This goes even for starter or elementary level classes. From day one, explain clearly (using comprehension check questions for example) that students are required to speak to you in English AT ALL TIMES! (After class, they must at least TRY to communicate with you in English!) Remember, that translating one word or answering to one question asked in Spanish, at any time, will RUIN ANY attempt to enforce your objectives! DON'T FALL INTO THE TEMPTATION!
2. Give them what they need (not what they want)
Make sure they have the English necessary (and the resources available) to communicate with you in English. On the first day, with ALL levels, I spend a considerable amount of time going over classroom language, and making sure that the students have some kind of visual record (notes in notebook, worksheet, etc) of the language they will need in class. I tell them that they must bring it to class everyday, and use it as they see fit. This helps if they try to ask you in Spanish, as you can refer them to their reference sheet. Be sure to always have dictionaries available (or let them use their IPhones or each other) to translate...THAT IS NOT YOUR JOB! We should be enabling our students to become efficient learners/speakers, and not give them the answers. What happens when you aren't there on your student's trip to London? They have to deal with real situations, and should have the good habits necessary to be able to overcome thier difficulties!
3. Positive and Negative Reinforcement
Both for adults and kids, the aspect of positive and negative reinforcement is critical in motivation. I am quite silly with my adult classes, and give them stickers. The idea of photocopied dollars is also fantastic (for adults and kids) because it can be given AND taken away. Even a bit of praise or otherwise is a fantastic motivator, and workds well if you constantly use it!
4. Challenge them to Motivate them
In my personal opinion, any class that is at a Pre-Int level or above should be all English, all the time. This means students are not permitted to speak to each other in Spanish in the classroom AT ANY TIME I am present. This is a more difficult challenge with lower levels and weaker students, but if we work really hard on getting the whole group on the same page and with the same goals to progress and improve, it works. We as facilitators, must also constantly monitor our students and use our incentives to help keep them on the path to sucess. Think of yourself as a personal trainer in a gym. Your client wants to loose 5 kg, but if you let them do what they want todo some sit-ups and then spend the rest of the time in the sauna), they won't lose the weight, and you will have part of the blame. You have not done your job! It is our job to be "strict" and help our students reach their goals. (Goal setting activities are a fantastic way to help studnets see that you are not being "mean" but keeping them on track)
5. Set tasks Approriate Tasks
Tasks that require a bit of a challenge, but are doable, and REQUIRE them to speak and use the language they know or are learning are excellent ways to get them to use the language comfortably. Worksheets and grammar excercises are fine, but we can turn these into "communicative activities" if we set them up right. Or have stundents check their work with a partner...using English! They will create their relationships in English with one another, and feel comfortable speaking the language in front of their peers (which is often more frightening than in front of the teacher!).
Those are my five tips, but I'd be interested in hearing what anyone else does in their classes! Please add to this post! Here's to a Spainh "free" learning environment at CNA 2011-2012!
Restricting the Use of Spanish in Our Classes
Welcome back to school! As we all know, it is far easier to get our students into good habits (and discourage bad habits) if we start the way we intend to go on. How many times have I tried to get my students to "like" me on the first couple of days, and then become frustrated later on in the course when they are constantly yapping in Spanish? (I hope I'm not the only one!) Well, with this new course starting I thought it would be a good idea to write a quick peice on what has worked for me in my classes, and what I've seen work in other teachers' classes!
1. You don't speak or understand any Spanish (except for bad words of course!)
We are hired to be native English speakers, and why would we speak Spanish in class? I have found that some of the most effective teachers are those with no, or very limited knowledge of their students' L1. (Perhaps they suffer more in areas of classroom dicipline for example, but their students tend to learn far more!). This goes even for starter or elementary level classes. From day one, explain clearly (using comprehension check questions for example) that students are required to speak to you in English AT ALL TIMES! (After class, they must at least TRY to communicate with you in English!) Remember, that translating one word or answering to one question asked in Spanish, at any time, will RUIN ANY attempt to enforce your objectives! DON'T FALL INTO THE TEMPTATION!
2. Give them what they need (not what they want)
Make sure they have the English necessary (and the resources available) to communicate with you in English. On the first day, with ALL levels, I spend a considerable amount of time going over classroom language, and making sure that the students have some kind of visual record (notes in notebook, worksheet, etc) of the language they will need in class. I tell them that they must bring it to class everyday, and use it as they see fit. This helps if they try to ask you in Spanish, as you can refer them to their reference sheet. Be sure to always have dictionaries available (or let them use their IPhones or each other) to translate...THAT IS NOT YOUR JOB! We should be enabling our students to become efficient learners/speakers, and not give them the answers. What happens when you aren't there on your student's trip to London? They have to deal with real situations, and should have the good habits necessary to be able to overcome thier difficulties!
3. Positive and Negative Reinforcement
Both for adults and kids, the aspect of positive and negative reinforcement is critical in motivation. I am quite silly with my adult classes, and give them stickers. The idea of photocopied dollars is also fantastic (for adults and kids) because it can be given AND taken away. Even a bit of praise or otherwise is a fantastic motivator, and workds well if you constantly use it!
4. Challenge them to Motivate them
In my personal opinion, any class that is at a Pre-Int level or above should be all English, all the time. This means students are not permitted to speak to each other in Spanish in the classroom AT ANY TIME I am present. This is a more difficult challenge with lower levels and weaker students, but if we work really hard on getting the whole group on the same page and with the same goals to progress and improve, it works. We as facilitators, must also constantly monitor our students and use our incentives to help keep them on the path to sucess. Think of yourself as a personal trainer in a gym. Your client wants to loose 5 kg, but if you let them do what they want todo some sit-ups and then spend the rest of the time in the sauna), they won't lose the weight, and you will have part of the blame. You have not done your job! It is our job to be "strict" and help our students reach their goals. (Goal setting activities are a fantastic way to help studnets see that you are not being "mean" but keeping them on track)
5. Set tasks Approriate Tasks
Tasks that require a bit of a challenge, but are doable, and REQUIRE them to speak and use the language they know or are learning are excellent ways to get them to use the language comfortably. Worksheets and grammar excercises are fine, but we can turn these into "communicative activities" if we set them up right. Or have stundents check their work with a partner...using English! They will create their relationships in English with one another, and feel comfortable speaking the language in front of their peers (which is often more frightening than in front of the teacher!).
Those are my five tips, but I'd be interested in hearing what anyone else does in their classes! Please add to this post! Here's to a Spainh "free" learning environment at CNA 2011-2012!